In its eighth year, the competition challenged four student teams to design innovative hockey glove prototypes that address real-world safety concerns at all levels of the sport. Leaders from the Penguins and Covestro emphasized the importance of advancing protective equipment to support both player safety and the growth of the game, while CMU faculty highlighted the program’s fast-paced, hands-on approach to innovation.
The winning team impressed judges with a glove design inspired by the structure of an armadillo, featuring a flexible notch system that reduced finger stress by 20% in early testing and a semi-rigid cuff that improved wrist protection without sacrificing mobility. Bauer Hockey will now consider the student designs for further development and potential commercialization.
